Campaign information
Character Back Stories [[Liadan back story]] [[Rashied back story]] [[Roderik back story]] [[Casius Albas back story]] [[Hildrmaer Jorrunsdottir back story]] Prologue '''Character Plot Hooks''' '''Liadan’s dream''' After arriving in Britania, Liadan traveled for a short while acting as a midwife and healer in various small villages. One night while doing rituals beseeching the gods to bless the crops of a local farm, she fell into a deep trance and experienced the following dream: At first it seemed as though Liadan was flying, but on second look, she realized that she had left her body and was soaring above it. Higher and higher she soared looking down at the earth. After a time, a Raven appeared. The raven cawed and circled as if wanting Liadan to follow. Many miles to the north they flew until at last the Raven stopped heading north and circled once again. Below was a town, and in that town many specs of light gathered. Some were quite bright, burning strongly. Once again the Raven continued north and Liadan follows, north of the town darkness springs up, it seems to spread slowly. Liadan recognizes it as a malignant growth of pure evil, much like a cancer in the human body. Flying back to the town the Raven lands on the roof of a great hall and Liadan comes to rest next to it. The Raven hops up in Liadan’s shoulder looking her in the eye and speaks clearly. “Caw. Here is where you must come Druid. Join with the light, rid the world of this evil before it is too late.” Liadan nods reaching up to ruffle the raven’s feathers but before she can, the raven pecks her hand. “So you will remember Druid.” Liaden wakes with a clear memory of the dream and a bleeding hand. The next day she packs up and journeys north. Anytime her direction seems unclear a raven appears in the sky pointing the way. At last, after weeks of travel, she arrives at the town of Al Clut, recognizing the town from her dream; she makes herself and her dream known to the local Druid Saultim and is accepted as another Druid in service to King Ceretic. Saultim promises an introduction to the king in the coming days. '''Roderik’s dream''' For two years Roderik wandered Britania, selling his sword to whoever would pay, always looking for signs of his Mother. One night while camping alone in the wilds Roderik saw a man approach, the man was cloaked and hooded, he had a Patch over one eye and a Raven perched on one shoulder. Roderik felt other worldness about the man and feared his weird was upon him. The man threw a rune stone at his feet. Crudely carved Roderik recognized on it the symbols he had seen on the island left behind by the raiders. Looking up at the man, hoping beyond hope for information, the man spoke only two words. The name of a place way up north that Roderik had heard was hiring swords to fight savages. “Alt Clut”. The next thing Roderik knew, he was waking from sleep in the morning, the fire all but out as the chill air and wind blew him awake. Was it all just a dream? Surely not, it seemed so real, and then with a start, Roderik looks at what is clutched in his hand. It is the rune stone from the stranger the previous night. Quickly Roderik puts out the remnants of the fire, packs his things and heads north to Al Clut. Upon arriving, Roderik introduces himself as a weapon’s man in search of work. He is brought to Fergus Buadach, King Ceretic’s Battle leader who promises an introduction in the coming days…. '''Casius’s vision''' Casius took a ship to Britainia hoping to find a vocation and purpose and to do gods work. One day while praying before the alter in a local church, Casius is struck by light and falls backwards in what he can only interpret as a vision from god. In the vision Casius sees the suffering of thousands of men woman and children in a land he does not recognize across the sea. Horrible tentacled monsters surely spawned in the pits of hells infest the lands and prey on good people, Christians and Pagan’s alike fall and go mad with fear. The land is thrown into unholy chaos. Casius sees himself fill with the power of god, suddenly he is there and the creatures fall back before him. Just as suddenly the vision fades to be replaced by another image. It is as if he is looking upon the earth from above. A pinpoint appears on the image, blackness. Casius does not recognize the place but can tell its north of Britania. He hears but one word….Go Casius rises and finds the local priest, describing the place from his vision, the priest tells him the place he saw was a town called Al Clut where a King who is none to friendly to Christians, fights against dark squat barbarians the priest calls Picts. Casius Packs his things and journeys north to Al Clut prepared to see the lord’s will done. Upon arriving, he meets Fergus Buadach – Battle Leader of Certic’s Weapon’s Men who promises an introduction to the King in the coming days. He also meets Mikchu, a Christian priest who advises the king. Mikchu seems not so much in the king’s favor, but the king does give him at least the respect to listen to what he has to say. '''Hildrmaer’s dream''' While traveling from village to village earning meals and lodging in exchange for tales and stories, Hildrmaer sits by the fire one night working on stanzas while camping alone between villages. From the shadows a figure of a man approaches and Hildrmaer puts hand to weapon hilt in case the figure should prove hostile, or have idea’s to take liberties. As he comes closer Hildrmaer sees the man is cloaked and hooded, he had a Patch over one eye and a Raven perched on one shoulder “Be at peace Hildrmaer Jorrunsdottir I mean you no harm. Hildrmaer narrows her eyes “You have me at a disadvantage, how is it you know my name?” The one patched bushy eyebrow raises “I may have but one eye but I see many things. I see a daughter of unique blood with the gift of the poet and a fiery spirit ” Hildrmaer smiles despite herself “And what is it you would be wanting of me?” The man smiles back “Its you’re wanting that brings me here, a true saga the likes of which the world has not seen in an age” Hildrmaer’s eyes brighten with excitement “Where? Where is this saga to be found?” “Over the sea to the north of Britania lies a land called Strathclyde, in that land is a town name Al Clut. The people there fight against some savages names Picts, their struggles entertain me, but they have little idea what comes.” And what would that be?” Hildrmaer asks. “A saga, a world changing saga” Go, or stay, the choice is yours,” The crow lifts from his shoulder and suddenly there are wings flapping and black feathers filling her vision, she then shakes with a start and wakes next to the remain of the smoldering fire. Wondering if it was a dream something catches her eye. A feather, a single crow feather rests on her lap. Packing her things Hildrmaer makes for the coast to find a ship to Britania. Working her way north trading stories for meals, she finally arrives at Al Clut where she introduces herself to the King’s bard Donal Mac Lugg. Donal plans an introduction to King Ceretic in the days to come… '''Rashied’s research''' For years Rashied walked many lands looking for some magic to extend his life, his travels took him throughout Persia, Greece, India and Egypt among other places. Of all the research he did, two things stood out that held possibility. The first was a mention of an ancient race called the Tuatha DeDenann that while not immortal, were said to not age. This race was said to have conquered Ireland Thousands of years ago. The Tuatha DeDenann were said to dwell in a land called Tir na Nog, or The Land of the Ever Young, this was thought of as the original home of the DeDenann. It could be reached through water, by traveling west over the sea, or passing through the gateways of the Sidhe mounds. In these places, the veil between the worlds was considered very thin, and therefore more easily traversable. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the magical realm is not the eternal youth, beauty, joy and plenty it represents, but the passage of time attributed to it. Descendants of the Tuatha DeDenann were said to be “Fey Blooded”. Rashid is not sure that this can help as it seems to be something one is born too, but perhaps it would be possible to concoct an elixir using the DeDenann blood. The second is far more interesting. He finds ties in numerous ancient texts and sources to Atlantis. In Egypt on Column 8 in the great Hall of the temple of Rameses at Karnak he finds a inscription depicting a great festival with an accompanying text memorializing "''the loss of a drowned continent in the North Sea”'' In India he finds Sanskrit writings contain several descriptions of Atlantis, and even assert that Atlantis was destroyed as the result of a war between the Atlantians and some awakened Old Gods around 9850 B.C Another non-Sanskrit scholar implies that Atala might be one of the well-known northern lands, such as Iceland or Greenland, and that the epithet "White Island" refers to its being covered with snow the majority of the time—even the mythological Hyperborea has been suggested ''Atala'' and ''Sveta Dwipa'' ("White Island") are not the only names for Atlantis in Sankrit lore. Rashied finds another name, ''Saka Dwipa'', is used just as often in the Puranas; It is therefore quite possible that "white" refers to the skin color of its inhabitants, rather than to the dominant color of the island—although it should not be assumed that all Atlanteans were white-skinned. Rashied also finds The terms "Atala" and "White Island" are used also by the ''Bhavishya Purana'' (writings from 4th cent. B.C.). Here it is stated that Samba, having built a temple dedicated to ''Surya'' (the Sun), made a journey to Saka Dwipa, located "beyond the salt water" looking for the Magas (magicians), worshippers of the Sun. He is directed in his journey by ''Surya'' himself (i.e., journeys west following the Sun), riding upon Garuda (the flying vehicle of Krishna and Vishnu) he lands at last among the Magas. Rashied finds another mention in the Mahabharata (''circa''. 600 B.C.) also refers to "Atala, the White Island", which is described as an "island of great splendor." It continues: "The men that inhabit that island have complexions as white as the rays of the Moon and they are devoted to Narayana . . . Indeed, the denizens of White Island believe and worship only one God Then there is the tale told by Plato “Now in this island of Atlantis there was a great and wonderful empire which had rule over the whole island and several others, and over parts of the continent, and, furthermore, the men of Atlantis had subjected the parts of Libya within the columns of Heracles as far as Egypt, and of Europe as far as Tyrrhenia. This vast power, gathered into one, endeavored to subdue at a blow our country and yours and the whole of the region within the straits; and then, Solon, your country shone forth, in the excellence of her virtue and strength, among all mankind. She was pre-eminent in courage and military skill, and was the leader of the Hellenes. And when the rest fell off from her, being compelled to stand alone, after having undergone the very extremity of danger, she defeated and triumphed over the invaders, and preserved from slavery those who were not yet subjugated, and generously liberated all the rest of us who dwell within the pillars. But afterwards there occurred violent earthquakes and floods brought on by a single sorcerer of great power, said to be immortal through the use of dark sorceries who tried to capture rule of Atlantis from the last King Eugene. It is believed that this Sorcerer summoned great tentacled beasts which caused the cataclysm; and in a single day and night of misfortune all your warlike men in a body sank into the earth, and the island of Atlantis in like manner disappeared in the depths of the North sea.” Looking for more evidence of this sorcerer, Rashied finds an even older story of Atlantis in Greece that seems to have been passed through story telling and written down in an obscure book by Herodicus. It tells of an ancient king of Atlantis named Kull from 100,000 BC! It seems this king also fought immortal sorcerer intent on ruling Atlantis and through Atlantis the world. Kull somehow thwarted this sorcerer (the story is unclear how) who at the time went by the name Tulsa Doom. Finding no further references to immortality anywhere, Rashied packs his things to head to Britania and Strathclyde, to see if any writing closer to the source can be found. For a while Rahied travels through Britania finding the land ravaged by the mostly now absent Romans. The land is mostly primitive and men of learning are found to be scarce. He does however hear of a king in Strathclyde, who is said to be gathering men of lore called Druids, to himself, perhaps here he can find the learning he needs. Finding no further reason to stay in Britania, Rashied heads to the main City in Strathclyde, AlClut. In AlClut, Rashied meets a learned old Druid named Saultim who while not knowing the secret of immortality, promise to teach Rashied and assist in his research in return for a Pledge to the Kings service for the time Rashied is learning. '''Setting the scene''' The Campaign starts in the kingdom of Alt Clut known later as Strathclyde in the town of Alcluith in 470 AD King Ceretic Guletic''' '''king of Alt Clut has recently received a letter from St Patrick accusing him of making off with several of his Irish converts and selling them into slavery. Ceretic is a devout follower of the Celtic gods and no friend to the Christians who he calls “Worshipers of the dead god” He does however have many Christian followers in Alt Clut and recognizes the need to treat with them less he loose his powerbase. Still he surrounds himself with Druids, bards and men of learning as advisors. Most of these are Celts that relocated here to flee the Romans, or currently are fleeing the saxonish invasion and can usually find welcome at his court. Ceretic has had much trouble with the Picts being situated just west of the Pictish kingdoms and as such has issued an open invitation for any weapons man or woman who wishes to fight for pay. Ceretic is known to be honest fair and generous. Ceretic has two sons named Cinuit, and Dumnagual Hen, and a wife named Bodicca. The campaign will start with the party here either hiring on as weapons men/woman or as advisors to the King. '''[[Introductions to the King]]''' First Adventure [[Act 1 Scene 1 Pict Attack]] [[Act 1 Scene 2 Race to the Docks]] [[Act 1 Scene 3 The Shettland Islands]] [[Act 2 Scene 1 Ambush]] =